Golf Courses in Sumter, SC

By Cary Estes on April 29, 2011 at 11:23 am EST
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PHOTO CREDIT: Antony Boshier

South Carolina is filled with quality golf courses, and the city of Sumter is in the middle of it all. Located near the geographic center of the state, Sumter has four courses within the city and approximately two dozen more that are less than an hour’s drive away.

Beech Creek Golf Club

Beech Creek Golf Club is located near the site of one of the final battles of the Civil War. The 6,805-yard course opened in 1989 and has earned a reputation for being one of the better conditioned facilities in the area. The fairways are wide, while the greens are fast and tricky.

Water comes into play on five holes, most noticeably at No. 7, a 171-yard par-3 that requires a deft tee shot over a lake onto a tight green. The course closes with a pair of challenges on the final holes: a 382-yard dogleg on No. 17 and a 530-yard par-5 on No. 18.

Rates are reasonable. During the week you can walk nine holes for only $10. A full 18 holes on the weekend with a cart is $35. There are discounts for seniors, youth and military members.

Links at Lakewood

The Links at Lakewood is a challenging 6,857-yard course that features the area’s only island green at the 175-yard 13th hole. This picturesque course is filled with trees, ponds and bunkers, providing a variety of obstacles.

Rates are $25 to $30, including cart, for South Carolina residents ($5 more for non-residents). Discounts are available for seniors and military members. Lakewood also offers membership options.

Crystal Lake Golf Course

Crystal Lake Golf Course opened in 1990 as a nine-hole municipal facility and later expanded to 18 holes. It is an ideal course for novice players because it is relatively short (6,236 yards) and flat. But there are some challenges, with water coming into play on the first five holes and a few lengthy par-3s. Green fees are generally in the $20 range.

Sunset Country Club

Sumter’s private-course golf option is the Sunset Country Club, a 6,450-yard par-70 layout that has been around since 1922. This is a course that has long required careful shot-making because of its tree-lined fairways and small greens, though the greens are now larger after recent renovations added nearly 20,000 square feet of putting surface.

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